Over the weekend, I finished up work on my time machine – it’s built out of an early-80s Delorean, hover-converted, but runs off of Milwaukee’s Best rather than Mr. Fusion – and the first thing I did was travel back to 1908 so that I could see the Cubs win a World Series in my lifetime. After that, though, I decided to travel forward a bit – to October 2011, in fact – to get a copy of the season summary post that I’m going to write after the final out of the World Series is made. Here, in its entirety, is that post. I can not be held accountable to any destruction of the space-time continuum that results from your reading of the contents within.

Braves New World

“We just treated this series like we treated the regular season. One win at a time,” said Tommy Hanson. “Today, well, today proved that all of that work paid off.” Hanson went 8 shutout innings for the Braves, as they closed out their first World Series title since 1995, defeating the Boston Red Sox in a stunning climax to a memorable 2011 season.

Of course, for anyone who watched this Braves team during the season, it was clear that it was one that could never be counted out. From their wire-to-wire NL East championship in which they had to hold off the Wild Card-winning Philadelphia Phillies and the late-surging Florida Marlins, sweeping the Colorado Rockies in the NLDS after coming in as heavy underdogs, and their comeback from 3-to-1 down in the NLCS against those same Phillies, the Braves showed the kind of resiliency one would expect out of a champion.

That’s not to say there wasn’t some luck involved, though. The Braves capitalized on the early-season malaise of the Phillies’ offense – an offense that didn’t really get going until the acquisition of Matt Kemp from the Dodgers at the trading deadline and the return of Chase Utley in mid-August. The 10 1/2 game lead the Braves built was able to stand, though by the end of the season it had evaporated to just 1. Also lucky for Atlanta was the injury that Red Sox starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano – another midseason acquisition – suffered in the ALCS against the A’s. Zambrano – who went 9-1 down the stretch for Boston – had won his first 2 playoff games for the Red Sox and helped stabilize a rotation decimated by the injuries and ineffectiveness of Josh Beckett, John Lackey, and Daisuke Matsuzaka.

Dan Uggla – whose 42 home runs led the Braves during the regular season – was named World Series MVP after hitting .429 with 11 runs knocked in, while Hanson’s 2 wins showed why many believe he could be a serious challenger to Roy Halladay for the NL Cy Young Award this year.

Red Sox Nation Comes Up Just Short

Early in the season, the Red Sox had established that they were the team to beat in the American League East with a fast start punctuated by likely MVP Adrian Gonzalez hitting home runs in 7 straight games. Pitching inconsistency, however, caused the Sox to come back to the back, and it was a 5-team race for much of the summer thanks to the improvement of both the Blue Jays and the Orioles. The parity amongst all 5 clubs was the primary reason that the Wild Card didn’t come from the East this year, as the unbalanced schedule forced the teams to pound on each other all summer long. Boston put the division away with a 12-game win streak in September that included sweeps of the Blue Jays, Rays, Orioles and Yankees, with the aforementioned Zambrano picking up wins in 3 of those games. The biggest of those was likely his 1-0 duel with presumptive AL Rookie of the Year Jeremy Hellickson on September 15th that knocked the Rays – then in 2nd place – to 4 games out, a deficit they would never make up.

Philly Phizzle

Though Philadelphia would recover from its early-season swoon to win the Wild Card, it wasn’t without its share of questions about the team. Roy Halladay was his typical dominant self, and Cole Hamels vaulted himself into the next echelon of starting pitchers, but the 12 starts that Cliff Lee missed mid-season with an oblique injury and Roy Oswalt’s 5.00-plus ERA were too much for a Phillies team struggling to score runs to overcome. It took a miracle late season surge led by Lee’s and Utley’s return for the Phils to claim the Wild Card on the season’s last day, just edging Milwaukee for the berth.

No More Cellar-Dwelling

Neither the Kansas City Royals nor the Pittsburgh Pirates finished in last place this year, which was a remarkable achievement for both moribund franchises. And though they both fell short of .500 records – 73 wins each, ironically – both clubs got some glimmers of hope for the future. Mike Moustakas came up in mid-July and hit 15 home runs over the season’s final 2 1/2 months, while Andrew McCutcheon won the All-Star Game for the National League with his bases-clearing triple off of Mariano Rivera.

Still the Goat

Carlos Pena may have clubbed 47 home runs, but he alone wasn’t able to carry the anemic Cubs offense through the season. By mid-July the Cubbies were in full sell-now mode, dealing Zambrano to the Red Sox as previously noted, while also sending Aramis Ramirez to the A’s. Both deals restocked the Cubs’ farm system, but the prevailing theory is that the team was preparing to retool around a push to sign Albert Pujols in the coming off-season, though, there is also rumor that the Cubs have serious interest in lefty C.C. Sabathia, who is expected to opt-out of his contract with the Yankees first thing tomorrow morning.

Rocky Mountain High

They may have lost the NLDS to the Braves in controversial fashion when a Carlos Gonzalez game-winning double off of Johnny Venters in Game 5 was ruled foul, but the Rockies still had a fantastic season. CarGo and Tulo combined for 93 home runs and 217 runs batted in, and the Colorado pitching staff posted it’s lowest staff ERA in franchise history at 4.01. They won the NL West going away, taking the crown by 9 games over the late-fading Dodgers and by 12 games over the defending champion Giants, whose mediocre offense from 2010 took a step back in 2011. The acquisition of Michael Young at the trading deadline to solidify the infield was a real turning point for the Rockies, who led the NL with 98 wins.

Final 2011 Results

National League

East – Braves

Central – Reds

West – Rockies

Wild Card – Phillies

Projected MVP – Troy Tulowitzki

Projected Cy Young – Roy Halladay

Projected Rookie of the Year – Freddy Freeman

American League

East – Red Sox

Central – Tigers

West – A’s

Wild Card – White Sox

Projected MVP – Adrian Gonzalez

Projected Cy Young – Justin Verlander

Projected Rookie of the Year – Jeremy Hellickson

Scott Caruso is the former Editor-in-Chief of Rays of Light. He blackmailed Joe into letting him come in every now and again to muse about baseball. Joe folded like a stack of cards and agreed. He loves statistics, Evan Longoria, a perfectly-cooked ribeye, and a good Charlie Sheen joke.

Nice work Scott. I hope you’re right about the Tigers, but I’m afraid the Twins will win the AL Central yet again.

chris in Illinois

You had me until, “…Michael Young…to solidify the infield…”. I go to bed every night hoping I don’t wake up to reports of Michael Young, Cub. Why not just place a ‘pitch-back’ out at second instead.

* Repeat after me: Micheal Young can’t really play second (or third) anymore and he can’t really hit either*.

* OK, he could outhit Darwin Barney, but who can’t?

Chuck

Cubs-White Sox World Series.

http://van Buddy

I’m with you Chris. Michael Young and Darwin Barney are not the answers at 2B. When will this madness end?

Doc Raker

I am more into current events than fantasy. I am ready for the real season, enough with the predictions, let’s strap it on for real! Cubs World Series Champs 2011, Starlin Castro MVP, Carlos Marmol Cy Young, Carlos Zambrano 5 to 10 for aggravated assault. Cue the Law and Order music.

Dragon

If Pena hits 47 homers and at least Silva’s weight (just kidding if he could do that he would be MVP). Let’s say he hits .250 or better and 47 homers, Hendry gives him a piece of paper to sign with $15/6 on it…bye bye Pujols.

Dragon

@Chris — I just used the “pitchback” in my thoughts for Lizzie’s story. Great minds think alike.

I get the feeling if Marmol had one of those as a kid it would be dented on all the sides.

chris in Illinois

Yo Dragon,

I thought I was headed for MLB when at nine I threw a ball through my pitchback.

* Didn’t quite work out that way.

* The pitchback just might have more vertical range than M. Young.

* For the record, I don’t hate Mr. Young, I mean he’s waaaaaay better than me, but please don’t end your career as a Cub.

Ryno

Can we nip the Pujols fantasy in the bud? There is just NO way he’s leaving the Cardinals. They will find a way to get it done.

http://swantron.com jswanson

I wonder if we could stretch a Ramirez jersey around a pitchback…

Blake

Wait a minute here…so you mean to tell me Matt Garza will not win the CY Y?

I was under the impression that is the sole reason for his acquisition?

Seymour Butts

A TOAST to Mr Caruso. But, your flux capacitor needs some tweaking. I had dinner last night with the ghost of Ron Santo who said loudly “EAMUS CATULI”. Seems he’s learning Latin in heaven.

Doug S.

The Braves are one of those teams that I flat-out don’t like and having a guy named Chipper on them doesn’t help.

Dragon

@jswanson – the “Ramirez” pitchback would just try to play everything off to the side. Would basically become a lonely game of fetch.

Seymour Butts

Some of these days I have no IKEA what to think.
I turned on ESPN at lunch time and they had the Yankees and the Tigers. I saw Cabrera strike out to end the inning and the announcer says ” A good inning for Pryor”. Guess who was on the mound for the Yanks. If they make a success out of him, I’ll need to shoot someone.

greg

How many beers did you need to come up with this?

greg

Randy Wells will win the CY Young and I said it first. I am also working on my third Guinness

Joel

I find the prospect of Big Z going 9-1 down the stretch in the American League East a little hard to take… I think he would be frustrated by both the quality of hitters he would face, but also by his inability to hit in the AL, and instead of being able to take out that frustration with a bat, he would end up beaning a NY Yankee and getting suspended indefinitely by MLB.

http://van Buddy

The Yankees sent Mark Prior to Class A ball. Also, here’s a nice move by MLB today…

While we’re talking about fantasies…I like to think about where the Cubs would be now without Soriano and Fukodome and those ridiculous contracts. They could have afforded to grab an Uggla and maybe an Oswalt…and this team would look VERY different than it does now.

Doc Raker

Dragon- I am taking wagers on anyone who has fantasies about Pena slugging 47 homers and hitting .250. I will take the under on both, loser has dinner with Seymour.

Scott Caruso

@Doc – Prognosticating about fantasy things that will be proven to be false 3 days into the season is the only way to survive the last few days of Spring Training.

Doc Raker

Can’t blame a guy for trying to capitilize on an opportunity.
* Prior to single A, is anyone really suprised. Might as well be Sherm making a come back, just ain’t going to happen.

Buddy

I had lunch with Prior earlier today, and he said he understood the move. He also said that he hopes they’ll let him conotinue to throw a towel as part of his training. He ordered soup. I had a burger. The service was excellent.

Doc Raker

I had lunch with Sherm today. He’s got nothing and understands why he isn’t living in a virtual world. I had the prime rib sandwhich, he had the california fruit plate and the view was spectacular.

http://swantron.com jswanson

I had lunch with Sweet Lou today. He is enjoying his retirement, and has nothing but good things to say about Quade. He said that he is glad that he wasn’t charged with handling the Silva situation, but Quade did it, and did it like a man. Oddly enough, we both ordered reubens with slaw. They added a twenty percent gratuity; Lou became irate and was asked to leave after chest-bumping a line cook.

Buddy

Pleae tell Lou I said hello.

Buddy

Oops. I meant “Please.”

cap’n obvious

@Doc Raker: stop looking at my wife during your Sherm lunches.

Doc Raker

That’s outstanding jswanson, tell Sweet Lou we miss him. You didn’t keep him out past nap time I hope.

Buddy

Be careful making fun of Uncle Lou. He’s likely to smack you around like he did Rob Dibble.

Chuck

Scott: If I knew that Pena was going to be platooned against LHP, I would take the over on the .250 BA.

Doc Raker

Chuck, Scott, take the over, anyone take the over I am looking for action on Pena. Might as well profit from my upcoming misery.